Park and Recreation Commission endorses pool design, Fairbank contingency articles

SUDBURY — October 2, 2023 — Sudbury Park and Recreation endorses two fall town meeting articles as Fairbank delays mount. The commission voted 5-0 to support Article 6, a $100,000 design appropriation for Atkinson Pool repairs covering roof, HVAC, tile and grouting, and 4-0-1 on Article 7, a $900,000 contingency supplement for the stalled Fairbank reconstruction project; member Jen abstained, citing concern that the article authorizes "the sum of $900,000 or any other sum" without an explicit cap. Member Mara Huston, summarizing the Sept. 21 Permanent Building Committee meeting, said Eversource has yet to connect permanent power, cascading into electrical, elevator and fire-safety inspection holds. Park and Recreation Director Dennis reported the Atkinson Pool's leak has been traced to the skimmers and intake lines, with loss now at roughly 500 gallons per day down from 2,000, and a seven-day shutdown planned to overlap the building move. Zach Kaufman of Sudbury Youth Lacrosse pitched a $10,000 youth-funded concrete practice wall at Haskell Field; commissioners directed a site walk before deciding.